As colder weather is expected to reach the Southeast next week, Piedmont Natural Gas is encouraging its customers to take advantage of available tools and programs designed to help manage seasonal energy bills.
The company recommends that customers monitor their natural gas usage through online accounts, which allow them to view monthly usage history and identify trends or opportunities for savings. Other resources include the Energy Advisor tool, which assesses home energy efficiency based on personalized data, and calculators that estimate annual costs for water heating, cooking, and clothes drying.
A video explaining factors affecting natural gas bills can be found on Piedmont’s website.
Piedmont also offers several tips to save energy without reducing comfort. These include setting thermostats to the lowest comfortable temperature, using smart or programmable thermostats, taking advantage of sunlight during winter days by keeping drapes open, changing air filters regularly, managing water heater temperatures at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or considering tankless models, sealing cracks and openings in the home to reduce heat loss, ensuring air ducts are properly sealed, and evaluating insulation needs for ceilings, floors, and walls.
For those seeking more predictable billing amounts throughout the year, Piedmont’s Equal Payment Plan (EPP) allows customers to pay a consistent monthly amount based on their annual natural gas usage. Details about this program are available on the company’s website.
Financial assistance options are also highlighted. The Share the Warmth program provides funds through local agencies to help families with utility bills regardless of their energy source. Customers can find agency contact information at piedmontng.com/ShareTheWarmth. Additionally, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offers support for paying natural gas and other home energy costs. Information about these programs and how to apply is available at piedmontng.com/AssistancePrograms as well as federal- and state-specific details at piedmontng.com/WinterBills.
Piedmont Natural Gas serves over 1.2 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers across North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee as a subsidiary of Duke Energy.
“Piedmont says anyone in need can apply for this and other newly available programs to see if they qualify. For more information, go to piedmontng.com/AssistancePrograms. For detailed federal and state-specific information, go to piedmontng.com/WinterBills and click on your state.”
Media inquiries can be directed to Jason Wheatley at 877-348-3612 or jason.wheatley@duke-energy.com.
